Flying economy
Poll: Flying economy
Total Members Polled: 214
Discussion
I went to Australia once. Short notice ( ie the very next day, via Zurich as I had to go to Baden as well). Economy all the way, cost the thick end of 4k and I was in Melbourne a grand total of 27 hours.
I was Ill for two weeks after that trip. I was so flogged on the way back that I actually slept in economy on an airbus A340. My experience of airbus seats are that they have s
t lumbar support and seat squabs that are too short and tilt forward so you get no leg support. The definition of fking uncomfortable.
On the way there from Dubai I was surrounded by sweaty Arabs. The BO off the guy next to me....wow, you could taste it. It burned your eyes. Absolutely horrid for 13 hours.
I was Ill for two weeks after that trip. I was so flogged on the way back that I actually slept in economy on an airbus A340. My experience of airbus seats are that they have s
t lumbar support and seat squabs that are too short and tilt forward so you get no leg support. The definition of fking uncomfortable.On the way there from Dubai I was surrounded by sweaty Arabs. The BO off the guy next to me....wow, you could taste it. It burned your eyes. Absolutely horrid for 13 hours.
jdwoodbury said:
I did 130,000 air miles last year all in economy, I actually find that lack of in-flight entertainment more of a concern in this class than the seat proportions. Travel inside domestic US and Business or First is actually pretty pointless (as it also is in Europe). I am Gold Star Alliance so get lounge and all the other benefits (which is worth it), I have done so much travel now 11hrs seems like a short hop so I think you get 'conditioned' after a while.
Choose your airline wisely and econmomy can still be good, of all the carriers I have used I found Singapore Airlines to be one of the best for economy. I look for routes with newer planes, problem is that mostly I use United (travel in US) and they have a nastly habit of swapping aircraft (especially out of LHR).
I used JetBlue to get from NYC to Boston. Their aircraft had a ridiculous amount of leg room on all seats and it was a nice aircraft (embraer). For the price that is probably the most comfortable I have been on an aircraft. Having Long legs is no good for economyChoose your airline wisely and econmomy can still be good, of all the carriers I have used I found Singapore Airlines to be one of the best for economy. I look for routes with newer planes, problem is that mostly I use United (travel in US) and they have a nastly habit of swapping aircraft (especially out of LHR).
No No and thrice No. I must do a gazillion miles on business every year, this week it's the Caribbean, next week the Far East, the week after that it's Portugal, and then back to the caribbean for a week.
If I were to do that in economy, I would, without doubt die. Sleep depravation, and the ever present threat of DVT would get me, or my blood pressure would, putting up with screaming infants, and chav scum.
Much better to sit up the front, and put up with supercilious, self centred business men, full of their own importance.
Like me.
You get a better class of scumbag up front.
Seriously though the ability to get some sleep on a tight schedule, and be able to operate within 8 hours of getting to your destination is important, surely ?
If I were to do that in economy, I would, without doubt die. Sleep depravation, and the ever present threat of DVT would get me, or my blood pressure would, putting up with screaming infants, and chav scum.
Much better to sit up the front, and put up with supercilious, self centred business men, full of their own importance.
Like me.
You get a better class of scumbag up front.
Seriously though the ability to get some sleep on a tight schedule, and be able to operate within 8 hours of getting to your destination is important, surely ?
Otispunkmeyer said:
I went to Australia once. Short notice ( ie the very next day, via Zurich as I had to go to Baden as well). Economy all the way, cost the thick end of 4k and I was in Melbourne a grand total of 27 hours.
That's unlucky - a mate of mine did the same and the only seat available was in first! Price on the ticket was £12K (he works for the Government and doesn't think they actually pay that).Interestingly, when he's flying normally, the ticket is economy, but he always (literally always) gets upgraded. When he went on honeymoon he booked the flight tickets through the agency they use and both he and his new wife got upgraded both ways.
Deva Link said:
Otispunkmeyer said:
I went to Australia once. Short notice ( ie the very next day, via Zurich as I had to go to Baden as well). Economy all the way, cost the thick end of 4k and I was in Melbourne a grand total of 27 hours.
That's unlucky - a mate of mine did the same and the only seat available was in first! Price on the ticket was £12K (he works for the Government and doesn't think they actually pay that).Interestingly, when he's flying normally, the ticket is economy, but he always (literally always) gets upgraded. When he went on honeymoon he booked the flight tickets through the agency they use and both he and his new wife got upgraded both ways.
Deva Link said:
That's unlucky - a mate of mine did the same and the only seat available was in first! Price on the ticket was £12K (he works for the Government and doesn't think they actually pay that).
Interestingly, when he's flying normally, the ticket is economy, but he always (literally always) gets upgraded. When he went on honeymoon he booked the flight tickets through the agency they use and both he and his new wife got upgraded both ways.
You could post about your mate here - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...Interestingly, when he's flying normally, the ticket is economy, but he always (literally always) gets upgraded. When he went on honeymoon he booked the flight tickets through the agency they use and both he and his new wife got upgraded both ways.
If business does not check-in full, I pretty much always get upgraded on Delta, US Airways, United and AirTran for in US trips (not OUS). The type of coach ticket purchased (i.e. not cheapest, non-refundable ticket) and intergalactic status influences your upgradability quite significantly.
hyperblue said:
You could post about your mate here - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
So do you think when he said he was James Bond then that might not be true either?whoami said:
He always gets upgraded?
It was always last time he spoke about it. He flies in Europe 3 or 4 times a year and to the US a couple of times per year. I assumed it's to do with the agency the Government uses as they must spend a lot on travel. I work with a guy who used to work for a very large multi-national company which had people charging about all over the place and he said they got upgraded 4 out 5 flights if they booked through the firm's travel agent.
Can't speak for American, because I don't have a pile of status with them, but I fly on US domestic carriers pretty much every day and I'm pretty sure it's not purely down to me being 'lucky'.
Last week, I flew Orlando to Dallas on AA (G class coach tix) - no upgrade. Dallas to Philadelphia on US (upgraded) Philadelphia to Detroit on Delta (upgraded) Detroit to Indianapolis on Delta (upgraded) and Indy back to Orlando, via Atlanta on AirTran (upgraded on both legs) - all of these ended-up being full flights.
Flew back to Indy last night on another full AirTran flight - upgraded, as usual.
If this is me being lucky, I need to start buying Lotto tickets.
These are not upgrades at the gate - my on-line check-in is when I'm bumped-up.
Last week, I flew Orlando to Dallas on AA (G class coach tix) - no upgrade. Dallas to Philadelphia on US (upgraded) Philadelphia to Detroit on Delta (upgraded) Detroit to Indianapolis on Delta (upgraded) and Indy back to Orlando, via Atlanta on AirTran (upgraded on both legs) - all of these ended-up being full flights.
Flew back to Indy last night on another full AirTran flight - upgraded, as usual.
If this is me being lucky, I need to start buying Lotto tickets.
These are not upgrades at the gate - my on-line check-in is when I'm bumped-up.
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